Carlos Morra and Ernst Franzek: Psychopathological Symptoms

Flexibilitas cerea

Definition: Maintenance of imposed posture; limbs remain in position they are placed regardless how unnatural the position is for a long time (Petho and Ban 1989.).

Exploration: The examiner raises patient’s arms or moves one of patient’s legs into an uncomfortable forced position. To qualify for “flexibilitas cerea” there need to be a decreasing passive resistance to moving the limbs into the unnatural position from the beginning to the end and the imposed posture needs to be maintained for a  long period of time and not only for minutes   (Fink & Taylor 2003).

References:

Fink M, Taylor MA. Catatonia. A clinician´s guide to diagnosis and treatment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2003, p. 29

Petho B, Ban TA. DCR Budapest-Nashville in the diagnosis and classification of functional psychoses. Psychopathology 1989; 21:153-240

Carlos Morra and Ernst Franzek

November 3, 2016